Are humans stewards of the Earth?

[Narz]

What say you? Do we have a moral obligation to safeguard the future of the planet for as many species as possible, even for future generations of humans? If so, why? If not, why not?

Poll coming!

 

[Octavian X]

Unless we can find another planet to trash in the next fifty years or so, I would say yes.

edit: I'm looking at you, Mars.

 

[_Philospher_]

We have no moral obligation to do anything of the sort. But we do have a practical desire to keep the planet habitable for ourselves in the present and in the future. So, no, humans are not the inherently stewards of Earth except by self-appointment and we do appoint ourselves we do it out of self-interest.

 

[LightFang]

Yes. For religious reasons. God has entrusted us with the world and we must take care of it.

 

[Tee Kay]

We have a moral obligation to preserve the planet for other species and, more importantly, for future generations. More important though is the practical side of things. We got to realise there's only one planet around that we can live on at least in the foreseeable future, and that's this one. And that we're part of the ecosystem and part of a wider food chain. What we do to the environment we do to ourselves.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

What say you? Do we have a moral obligation to safeguard the future of the planet for as many species as possible, even for future generations of humans? If so, why? If not, why not?

We have an obligation, but its got no more to do with morality than the obligation to flush the toilet. If you dont ever flush the toilet, fairly soon, your house will become uninhabitable. Imagine a family that never flushes the toilet, and they know fully well that within a couple of weeks, they'll be hip deep in their own poop. Instead of starting to flush, they spend week one holding family meetings trying to reach an agreement about flushing. Bob JR refuses to agree because the younger kids are allowed to poop all they want and they dont have to flush. So Mom and Dad keep crapping away without flushing because, why should they flush, if Bob JR and the kids arent going to? Besides, flushing wastes time and is no fun at all.

Do these people seem like moral guardians of their house? They seem more like a bunch of jackasses that shouldnt be allowed to live there. Morality has nothing to do with it, its all about intelligence, and the human race clearly isnt intelligent enough to flush the toilet.

 

[Ramius75]

We have an obligation, but its got no more to do with morality than the obligation to flush the toilet. If you dont ever flush the toilet, fairly soon, your house will become uninhabitable. Imagine a family that never flushes the toilet, and they know fully well that within a couple of weeks, they'll be hip deep in their own poop. Instead of starting to flush, they spend week one holding family meetings trying to reach an agreement about flushing. Bob JR refuses to agree because the younger kids are allowed to poop all they want and they dont have to flush. So Mom and Dad keep crapping away without flushing because, why should they flush, if Bob JR and the kids arent going to? Besides, flushing wastes time and is no fun at all.

Do these people seem like moral guardians of their house? They seem more like a bunch of jackasses that shouldnt be allowed to live there. Morality has nothing to do with it, its all about intelligence, and the human race clearly isnt intelligent enough to flush the toilet.

what a great analogy + mom and dad poop more.

 

[Narz]

We have an obligation, but its got no more to do with morality than the obligation to flush the toilet. If you dont ever flush the toilet, fairly soon, your house will become uninhabitable. Imagine a family that never flushes the toilet, and they know fully well that within a couple of weeks, they'll be hip deep in their own poop. Instead of starting to flush, they spend week one holding family meetings trying to reach an agreement about flushing. Bob JR refuses to agree because the younger kids are allowed to poop all they want and they dont have to flush. So Mom and Dad keep crapping away without flushing because, why should they flush, if Bob JR and the kids arent going to? Besides, flushing wastes time and is no fun at all.

Do these people seem like moral guardians of their house? They seem more like a bunch of jackasses that shouldnt be allowed to live there. Morality has nothing to do with it, its all about intelligence, and the human race clearly isnt intelligent enough to flush the toilet.

The problem with that analogy is that much of today's sh** doesn't stink right away. In many ways it piles up subtly and nearly invisibly and doesn't start to sink until we're in over our heads in it. And today's general populace isn't too keen on picking up the subtle cues. Even with scientific consensus (as much as there is on ciggs causing lung cancer) people still think the issue needs more study. People don't want to believe the booze is killing their liver, the junk food is setting up an early heart attack, the hooker is giving them AIDS, the lazy boy is setting them up for back pain & injury. Never before have we had it this good. And no one wants to go backwards (to most environmentalism is the enemy of progress) to when life was hard and "we had to walk three miles uphill in the snow to get to school".

Then there's the whole prisoner's dilemma thing. Either we all change or we're all screwed but if only some of us change. Well, it's not enough. The US especially loves to stamp it's feet and say "but it's not faaaair, China doesn't have to give up iiiit's toys!".

If only it was as obviously, visceral, undeniable as a backed up crapper.

Well, it kind of is in Naples, Italy. But most places are not Naples so they don't care.

 

[zxcvbnm]

The problem with that analogy is that much of today's sh** doesn't stink right away. In many ways it piles up subtly and nearly invisibly and doesn't start to sink until we're in over our heads in it. And today's general populace isn't too keen on picking up the subtle cues. Even with scientific consensus (as much as there is on ciggs causing lung cancer) people still think the issue needs more study. People don't want to believe the booze is killing their liver, the junk food is setting up an early heart attack, the hooker is giving them AIDS, the lazy boy is setting them up for back pain & injury. Never before have we had it this good. And no one wants to go backwards (to most environmentalism is the enemy of progress) to when life was hard and "we had to walk three miles uphill in the snow to get to school".

Then there's the whole prisoner's dilemma thing. Either we all change or we're all screwed but if only some of us change. Well, it's not enough. The US especially loves to stamp it's feet and say "but it's not faaaair, China doesn't have to give up iiiit's toys!".

If only it was as obviously, visceral, undeniable as a backed up crapper.

That is true, but it's still about people who aren't smart enough to flush the toilet.

I don't think we have a moral obligation, but the welfare of humans calls for action and the ecosystem itself benefits us by being "natural". However I don't agree with those who think it's only for humans as I categorise all things in the universe on a continuum from irreleveant to humane and they ought to be treated according to their place there (so monkeys are just a bit below humans so they should be treated well, while ameboe, although life, are so minor life that we really don't need to pay attention to their welfare as individuals)

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I believe in a religious obligation. God made humans stewards of the earth - in other words, it still belongs to Him, and He is noting how we treat it.

If I remove God from the equation, then I would say that in practical terms we are not "stewards" but that we have a practical obligation. If we keep messing it up, we will wipe ourselves out, but the planet itself, and life on it, will eventually recover.

 

[aronnax]

I just love the god reason...Its funny to me.

I prefer the Power comes respondsibilty talk.

 

[Love]

I don't believe in god, so i took the god option.

 

[scy12]

The correct options are both 2 and 3 but more 3. Humans are more interested with profit for the human generation and do not care much for animals while a part of us some more some less feels the moral obligation of preserving other animals. But their is also a difference between preserving animals i.e not extinguishing them and not treating them with the way that would be more profitable. Yet i also believe some associate human interests with preserving natural life. So we own the world , are looking for the improvement of our situation but a part of us is also looking at somewhat preserving the natural world (or just not destroying to much) while the who cares part of us , is stronger in that regard.

As long as we follow strategies that provide long term benefit then that is a sound position.

 

[Dida]

What say you? Do we have a moral obligation to safeguard the future of the planet for as many species as possible, even for future generations of humans? If so, why? If not, why not?

Poll coming!

We need to maximize the happiness and chance of survival for our specie.

There is no moral obligation owed to other species, endangered species are protected b/c we derive happiness from having them around.

 

[philippe]

I want to usher into a new era. not sure what kind of one though

 

[azzaman333]

We have the moral obligation to further our own existences. Since that requires us not to destroy the earth, unless we're some sort of deity, we shouldn't destroy the earth.

 

[sourboy]

Every other species forms a natural equilibrium with the rest of the planet. We should do the same.

 

[Den Valdron]

I think that we're doing a terrible job.

 

[classical_hero]

Yes. For religious reasons. God has entrusted us with the world and we must take care of it.

Exactly. He gave us this planet so that we can show that we can be good stewards of God's Creation. He created this for us and he gave us everything we need to sustain life, so it is our duty to protect it.

 

[Dida]

I think that we're doing a terrible job.

We have done the best job in the universe, so far. We are one in a million.